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Old Lutheran Table Talk

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My theme this year is "To Be Prepared" - ntopice the Divine Passive - It is God who prepares us. Anyhow, week 1 follows:

Advent Midweek 1December 5, 2007Isaiah 40:1-2â€œTo Be Prepared: People Who Need ComfortSt. John Lutheran ChurchRev. Wade R. MattsfieldTheme based on an idea by Arden W. Mead

Isaiah 40:1-2 (1) Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. (2) Speak unto the heart of Jerusalem, proclaim unto her that he warfare is full, that her iniquity is accepted, that from the hand of Yahweh she has taken double in all her sinsGoal: That the hearers take comfort in Jesus advents â€“ in time, in the Lordâ€™s Supper and on the last day.In Nomine Jesu

Introduction: Advent has always been a time of preparation.
A. Even our society in this day still uses this time before Christmas to prepare.
1. How many of you have yet to finish your shopping list?
2. And then we need to clean the house and put up all the decorations.
3. There are parties to prepare for and attend, programs to work on, and TV Christmas specials to watch.
4. There is a lot of preparing to do.

B. In the church, we take this time to prepare for our Lord.
1. If you paid attention to the Psalm as we read it, but it was very instructive./Psalm 24 opens our eyes to what it takes.
a. The Psalmist asked, â€œWho shall ascend the hill of the Lord and who shall stand in his holy place?
b. He answers, â€œHe who has clean hands and a pure heart.â€

Advent Midweek 2December 12, 2007Isaiah 40:3-8â€œTo Be Prepared: A Voice that PreparesSt. John Lutheran ChurchRev. Wade R. MattsfieldTheme based on an idea by Arden W. Mead[size=75](3) A voice calls out In the wilderness, clear the path of Yahweh, Make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. (4) Every valley is to be lifted up and every mountain and hill will become low and the hilly land will become for a level place and the rough placed to a valley. (5) And the glory of Yahweh will be uncovered and all flesh will see together for the mouth of Yahweh has spoken. (6) A voice saying, â€œProclaim.â€

[size=75](9) Go up upon a high mountain, O Zion, the one bearing good news. Raise up your voice in strength, O Jerusalem, the one bearing good news Lift it up, stop fearing Say to the cities of Judah, â€œBehold, your God.â€